1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bedding, and more specifically to an area at the foot of a bed sheet that gives the feet and legs better traction, improving movement used in sexual activity and other movement, such as turning over in bed.
2. Description of Related Art
Devices addressing the difficulty facing senior citizens, the ill, and the disabled in changing their physical positions in bed are well known in the art. Many of these devices see the problem as stemming from friction, the force of friction being seen as a limitation, and a force to be reduced rather than one to enhance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,523, issued to Eva Lindberg in 1998, discloses a low friction bed sheet for facilitating changing the position of a person or part of a person in a prone position. The ""523 patent further discloses surfaces of higher friction adjacent to the low friction surfaces, the transition zones between the low friction surfaces and the high friction surfaces being lengthwise in the bed and perceivable by the person in the bed.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,558, issued to Dunn in 1992, describes a patient transfer sheet device having surfaces of both low and higher coefficients of friction, whereby patients may be moved from one bed or gurney to another. As in the aforementioned patents, the ""558 patent is a device to reduce frictional forces related to bed sheets rather than to increase the coefficient of friction or traction.
Devices that increase the coefficient of friction in a surface are also well represented in the art. However, their presence has for the most part been limited to non-bed applications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,342, issued to Neto in 2000, describes a self-adhesive sheet of non-slip material such as latex foam. Strips can be cut from the roll and adhered to other surfaces. Although the device is described as having xe2x80x9cmultiple uses,xe2x80x9d it is intended primarily as a carpet liner or acoustic coating and does not disclose purpose or structure related for use in a bed.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,231, issued to Cullum in 1994, discloses an apparatus having a sheet with a high-friction surface, the device relates to a medical traction system for a patient in bed, intended to apply a longitudinal stretching force to the body. Furthermore, the frictional surface is a single sheet of uniform construction, without sections of material with varying coefficients of friction.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The bed sheet with traction areas is an aid to provide greater mobility for people in bed, and in particular, during sexual activity. The present invention is a bed sheet having a region at, or near, the foot of a bed sheet having a greater coefficient of friction than the remainder of the sheet. The areas of greater traction may be formed by one or more traction strips integrated with the bed sheet or applied to the bed sheet.
The present invention aids any user in sexual movement and in general mobility in bed, but has particular utility for aiding the elderly, disabled, and frail in sexual movement and in changing position, for example, in shifting from lying on the stomach to lying on the back.
The area of greater coefficient of friction allows individuals to gain better traction with their feet, ankles, and legs, thereby aiding in both the longitudinal motion during sexual activity and in the rotational motion needed to turn the body.
The invention is suitable for any individual but is particularly helpful to the elderly, ill, disabled or anyone of diminished physical strength.
The friction, or traction-supplying surface is suitable for all types of sheet material, and is particularly advantageous for slippery cloth, such as silk and satin. Because the area of greater coefficient of friction may be made to visually blend with the remainder of the sheet, the present invention retains the esthetic appeal of consumer bed linen.
The traction area may be an integral part of the sheet, as would be the case with a high-friction texture or pattern. The traction area may also be composed of a material applied to the sheet, such as a coating. The traction area may also take the form of removable traction material attached to the sheet with a nonpermanent adhesive material or a removable fastener device.
The traction strip may be comprised of any material and created by any method known in the art. Regardless of the material or manufacturing method, the traction strip is soft, pleasant to the touch, washable and, preferably, non-allergenic.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an aid to the motion used in sexual activity by providing better traction for the feet, ankles, and legs in the form of a bed sheet having a traction area at the foot end of the sheet.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved device for aiding movement in bed by providing better traction for the feet, ankles, and legs.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved device for aiding persons in bed in rolling over by providing better traction for the feet, ankles, and legs.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved device for avoiding bedsores by making it easier for a person with diminished physical strength to change their position in bed.
It is another object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.